joewein.net   joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet
Try our spam filter!
Free trial for 30 days
  jwSpamSpy

Home
About Us
Spam
419/Nigeria
Fraud
Contact

"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

The so-called "419" scam is a type of fraud dominated by criminals from Nigeria and other countries in Africa. Victims of the scam are promised a large amount of money, such as a lottery prize, inheritance, money sitting in some bank account, etc.

Victims never receive this non-existent fortune but are tricked into sending their money to the criminals, who remain anonymous. They hide their real identity and location by using fake names and fake postal addresses as well as communicating via anonymous free email accounts and mobile phones.

Keep in mind that scammers DO NOT use their real names when defrauding people.
The criminals either abuse names of real people or companies or invent names or addresses.
Any real people or companies mentioned below have NO CONNECTION to the scammers!

Read more about such scams here or in our 419 FAQ. Use the Scam-O-Matic to verify suspect emails.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

 

 

Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: <>
Reply-To: <barbara.cole881@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 28 Sep 2015 02:45:12 +0530
Subject: REPLY NOW!


I am Barbara Cole, a'm 15 years old girl, I live in Bolton UK before my Da=
d passed away in a car accident 3 years ago, but a'm now living with my ste=
p Mum in Warrington. My mum died immediately she gave birth to me and my la=
te Dad Mr.Norman Cole was a big business man in UK before he died in a car =
accident and I am the only child of my parent,he died 3 days after the inci=
dent and he Will all his life savings to me. I have been trying to collect =
the funds from the bank but the bank MD CEO refused he said I should presen=
t someone old enough so that they can transfer the funds to the person that=
I can=92t be in control of the huge amount of funds because I am still a t=
eenage and it is against the UK law. I could have told my step mum to assis=
t me in collecting the funds from the bank but she is not a good woman my D=
ad warned me about her before he died and I now realized that what my Dad s=
aid about her was true because she doesn=92t give me attention and she does=
n=92t care if I am sick or feeling well but all she does is to take hard dr=
ugs and bring different men to the house. I don=92t want to do anything wit=
h her because If I get her involved in this issue she will use all the fund=
s to take hard drugs. All I need right now is someone old enough and honest=
that will help me to collect my funds from the bank. I will not wait until=
i reach 18 years because what my step mum is doing me is not fair and i do=
n't want her to Influence me with her bad life style because i want to live=
a better life. I know we don=92t know each other but please I need your he=
lp if you can assist me to collect the funds from the bank I will give you =
50% of the funds and also you will help me to invest my 50% until I reach 1=
8years.If possible i will be staying with you or you will get somewhere for=
me to stay until i reach 18 years old. If you agree to help me I will send=
you my photo and other vital information so that you will know me and I wi=
ll send you the contact of the Bank and tell you how much is the funds so y=
ou can contact them and I will inform the bank that you will contact them t=
hat you are the person that want to help me. I will be waiting for your urg=
ent reply so that I can send you the contact of the bank and other needed i=
nformation. Please this letter has to be confidential and I need your 100% =
trust.I have already promised to give you half of the funds so please be ho=
nest with me. If you are interested please reply me on: barbara.cole881@gma=
il.com Best Regards Barbara Cole

Anti-fraud resources: